Pipe lining or coating means



Octgll, 1938. vc. F. MoRAlN PIPE LINING OR COATING MEANS Filed OGt.l 28, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet l 4 shuts-sheet 2 c. F. MoRAlN l' l www mwa Filed 001k.. 28, 1936 PIPE LINING OR- COATING MANS Oct. 11, 1938.

Oct. 11, 1938. I Q Fl MORAIN 2,133,035

PIPE LINING ORv COATING MEANS Filed Oct. 28, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Oct. l1,l 1938 PIPE R COATING DI'EANS Clifford F. Morain, Youngstown, Ohio, assignor to The General Paint Corporation, San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of Nevada applicati@ october, zs,

, 17 claim'.

^ This invention relates generally to means for coating pipes, either exteriorly or interiorly, for the purposes of protection, enhancement of appearance, or the facilitation of fluid iiow, and

primarily seeks to provide new and improved apparatus for applying the coatingmaterlal.

It is well known that pipes and tubing formed of known materials are subject to rust and corrosion, and that piping adapted for-water conduits, either steel, cast iron or concrete, When used without suitable internal pre-treatment; is, subject to the formation of tubercles.- Tuberculation is -no small factor to be considered -by engineers in constructing water lines. Records are l5 available which show that the supply of water to a city can be reduced as much as 10% by reason of the constriction of the internal diameter of -the conduit by tubercle formation. While my limproved apparatus is adapted to more general application-or in other words to alll general forms of coating, both internal and external, to which pipes are subjected, it is designed principally for coating pipes in the field, Where tliey arebeing laid.

According to one popular practice of pipe coating the interiors of the pipes are given a heavy coating Voi bituminous enamel which is applied nhot and ultimately formsna very smooth lining suchas will denitely prevent tuberculation and reduce to a'minimum frictional resistance to fluid flow. This lining terminates. short ofthe ends of the pipes so as to leave annular bare spaces to facilitate assembly coupling of the pipes by welding or other suitable couplings. One ofthe objects of Vthe invention therefore is' to provide a 4novel apparatus which can be moved into coupled -pipe sections and utilized for coating the .surfaces left `bare in order to facilitate the coupling of said sections.

Another object of the invention is to provide in an apparatus of the character stated, means for determining the positionlof the coating material applying devices andfor controllingthe bperation of said vdevices from without the pipes.

Anotherf object of the invention is to provide,

in an apparatus of the character stated, novel rollers for sllPPOrting the apparatus while effect- Y ing the coating operation and which are adjustv able to permit the'apparatus to remain station- Aary Vwhile the pipe revolves, to permit the'appa-,

ratus to Vbe drawn along the pipe surface, to cause, the apparatus to movealong the pipe surface due to the rotation of the pipe and the angularlty of the rollers, to adapt the apparatus to the coating of pipes of various dia'ueters, and to permit the 193s, serai No. 1os,1os (ci. siisoy apparatus to be used either internally or externally of the pipe.

Another o bject of the invention'is to provide,. ,in an apparatus of the characterv described. an

ironing device for applying pressure to the coat- 5 ing as it is laid to thereby smooth the coating and press out air bubbles such as would result in surface imperfections, also'novel means 'for mounting said ironing device whereby it may be removed from contact with 'the pipe surface 10 wheneverdesired.

With theseand other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the invention further resides in the novel details of construction, combination and arrangementof parts all of which l5 will be first fully described in the4 following detailed description,v then. be particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is, a somewhat dlarammaticside elevation illustrating my invention applied to the coating of portions of the interior of coupled pipe sections, parts being in longitudinal section.

Figure 2 is a left end View.

Figure 3 is a right end elevation.v

Figure 4 is an enlarged left end elevation of the coating apparatus vwith an `ironing device applied thereto, a portion of the pipe-being-coated being illustrated in cross section.

. Flgure 5 is an enlarged detail side elevation of one ofthe mounting rollers.

lFigure 6 is a detail end view of the roller shown in Figure 5.

Figure '1 is a View similar to Figure 6 illustrat- 35 ing a caster form of roller.

' 4Figure 8 is a detail plan view of the coating' apparatus shown in Figure 1, an ironing device being shown applied thereto in dot and dash Figure 9 is a somewhat diagrammatic vertical icross section taken through. the coating applicator and villustrates the feature of, adjusting the rollers to diiierentsizes of pipes.

Figure-10 is a central longitudinal the apparatus shown in Figure 8.

Figure 1l is adiagrammatic plan view illustrating the apparatus vin use for coating the interior of a pipe, the piping being shown in 'horizontal section. 50

Figure l2 is a vertical longitudinal section of a pipe section with a modified form of my appara- .tus mounted therein..

Flgure'13 is .a vertical cross section' the line on Figure 12.

section of 45 ing parts throughout the several gures of the drawings.

In Figure 1 of the drawings, I have illustrated my apparatus as adapted to use in the field for coating pipes as they are laid. According to one popular method of'pipe coating'l theS pipes are coated upon a suitable machine before vthey are shipped to the place of use, an annular bare space being left at each end of the pipe so as to facilitate assembly coupling of pipe sections by welding or otherwise.

In Figure 1 a. pair of pipe sections 5, 5 arel shown joined by a weld joint 6, the pre-coated portions of the pipe being indicated at 1 and the annular bare spaces at 8. It is a purpose of my invention tov provide a simple apparatus which4 can be inserted into the pipe sections and moved to the position shown in Figure 1 so as to coat the bare spaces 8 as the sections are assembled as shown.

-My, apparatus comprises a cradle 9 supporting a pair of spaced idler rollers I8 upon which one end of the assembled pipe sections is mounted as illustrated in Figure 1. 4A similar cradle lII supports the other end of the. assembled sections and is equipped with supporting and driving rollers I2 and an upstanding frame portion` I3. A pair of sprockets I4 are mounted upon stub shafts I5 secured to and extending from the driving rollers I2 and a single driving sprocket I6 is rotatably supported at the upper portion of the frame I3. The driving sprocket I6 has xed thereto a crank, and a chain I1 passes about the sprockets `I4 and I6 so that when the sprocket IB'is rotated by manipulation of the crank the rotation will be imparted to the sprockets I4, the rollers I2 and the pipe sections 5 supported thereon.

For suitably applying the coating to the b are spaces 8 within the pipe sections, or, if desired, to the whole of the interior or the exterior of the pipe sectionsv I provide afnovel coating apparatus which is disclosed in detail in Figures 2 to 10 of the drawings. This apparatus includes a truck I8 which is in .the nature of a trough-like container having an open top and an outlet I9 and being supported upon rollers 20 preferably rubber tired so as to avoid scraping of the 'primed surfacev of the pipe sections.

Mounting ears -2I project from the truck body as illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 8 of the drawings, and U-shaped mounting brackets 22 are provided, the legs thereof being adjustably secured to said ears as indicated at 23. In order denitely to secure the adjustment, the opposing surfaces of each bracket and the associated ears are corrugated or notched as at 24. 'I'he rollers are rotatably supported in stirrups 25 which are pivotally supported as at 26 to thebrackets 22, the opposed stirrup end bracket faces being similarlyfcorrugated or notched as at 21 to assure against slippage.

By reason of the provision of the novel roller mounting above described, it is possible to adjust the angular relation oi' the rollers to the axis of the pipe so that upon rotation of the pipe the truck will remain stationary while the pipe revolves, or, if the rollers are positioned on an angle as illustrated in Figure 11 of the drawings, move along in the pipe as the latter is rotated. It is also possible to adjustthe rollers about the pivotal connection 23 as illustrated in Figure 9 of the drawings so as to adapt the truck to use in pipesv of various sizes. By this means the Irollers 'can be adjusted so that an imaginary radialof a pipe, indicated at 28 in Figure 9', of given diameter will always pass through both the roller axis and the pivots`23 thus assuring a propercontact of the rollers with the pipesurface regardless of the diameter thereof. By this means also it is possible to so adjust therollers as to adapt the apparatus for coating the interior or the exterior of pipe sections. See Figures 2 and 17. Y

If desired one or both legs of the roller mounting bracket 22 may be provided with a pointer or arrow as indicated at 29 for association with a suitable scale marking 39 provided on the associated ear or ears-2I as indicated in Figures 6 and 7 and by which means the proper adjustment of the rollers according to the pipe diameter being worked may be determined. v

Instead of being equipped with adjustment securing notches 21 the pivotalfconnection 26 between the brackets 22 and stirrups 25 may be in the nature of a free caster pivot equipped with ball bearings as indicated at 3| in Figure '1. When thus equippedthe rollers are free to follow in any direction dictated by the relative movement Vbetween the coating apparatus and the pipe section or sections Withinwhich it is operating.

At the bottom the truck I8 is equipped with a heat tunnel 32 by which heat may be indirectly applied to the bituminous enamel coating with which I prefer to coat the pipe sections. It is desirable that this coating material be kept at a. temperature approximating 400 during the coating operation. For this purpose a burner 33 or other heat producing element is mounted in the tunnel. This element may take any particular form but in this disclosure I have generally indicated aliquid fuel burner which is removably supported at 34 in the tunnel and may be supplied With gasoline or other liquid fuel from the supply tank 35 attached to the truck as villustrated in Figures 8 and 10 of the drawings.

Supported upon the truck in any suitable manner as at 36 and longitudinally alined therewith;

dischargespcut 39 which terminates adjacent the surface to-be-coatedin a ribbon laying lip 40. The applicator is connected by a ow pipe 4I. with the outlet from the truck I8 and in this pipe -is mounted a control valve 42.

The control valve is equipped with a. cross bar handle 43 to which cords 44 are attached and which lead out on the pipe section or sectionsbeing-coated to enable the controlling of the valve and thereby the iiow of coating from a remote point. f

Pull cords 45 are attached to the respective ends of the truck I8, one being attached as at 46 at one end of the truck and the other at 41 at the other end of the truck.' By means of the pull cords it 'is possible to impart movement to the coating apparatusv within the pipe sections and these cords may be equipped with equidistantly spaced indicators generally designated 48 and by l it is possible to determine the amount of movement imparted lto the pull cord by turning of the windlass. The cord may be suitably passed over idler or guide pulleys 52 asis illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 1l of the drawings.

cator Within the pipe sections but it is also possi- `ble to impart to the applicator a controlled or measured travel longitudinally in the pipe so as 'to lay therein a spiral shingled ribbon in accordance with the method disclosed in the application of David W. Boylan, filed October 28, 1936, Serial No. 108,105. In this use of the invention it will be desirable to employ rollers of' the caster type such as, are disclosed in Figure 7 of the drawings.

When it is ldesired to coat the whole of the interior of the pipe, as distinguished from coating lift the ironer off thev coated surface .or lower the only. the bare spaces 8, it is possible to hold the applicator in one position during one or more revolutions of the pipe so as to provide-a transverse annular ribbon indicated at 53 and when this ribbon is formed inwardly of the end of the pipe the desired transverse cut off 54 will be proi vided leaving a bare space 55 similar to those disclosed at 8 in Figure 1. After completion o f the transverse ribbon or stripe 53 the applicator may be .moved longitudinally within the rotating pipe so as t'o laya helical ribbon, the individual helices being so pitched as to overlap or shingle as at 56 witl'rthe ribbon centered on the terminal v edge 51 of each previously laid helix as'indicated at 58. See lFigure 11: I'Ihus I have disclosed Vherein one means which may be employed for practicing the method disclosed in the David W.

Boylan application referred toabove.

When working with hot bituminous enamel it is desirable to iron or applypressure to the coated surface "so as to smooth the same and remove vtherefrom/all air bubbles such as might tend# to provide surface imperfections. For this purpose -anironer generally designated 59' may -be employed.. See Figures `2, 4, 8,'11 and 17. Thislift -cords 63 may be provided, being attached to' the carrier 5U andpassing over pulleys' Il secured -to the applicator l1 and thence out of the -end of the pipe where they may be manipulated' to same ontolsaidsurface whenever desired.

In Figures 12 to 16, I havedisclos'ed a simple modied form of my apparatus in which the open top tank truck 6 5 is connected by. a 'pipe lline il with the applicator equipped with overflow throatway 61 and ribbon laying lip 0l generally-equivalent to those hereinbefore described, a suitable valve 89 being provided in the pipe line so as to 1 controlthe flow of'ccating material into and from the applicator.

Short frame angles 1li are t 'l verseiy` beneath the truck body and are opposed by blocks 1I and attached cmved'supporting'plates 12,*the

By emj ployment of this means, it is possible not only to accurately 'determine -the position of the appliblocks and pistes being pivomuy secured u u; 1s to said angles. See Figures i2, 14 and 15. Each plate 12 has secured thereto a pair of .radially disposed roller brackets 1I each a wheel or roller 15.' The plates may be connected in parallel relation by a link 18 pivotally connected at its ends at 11 to said plates and being provided intermediate its ends with a pivotally mounted threaded sleeve 18. A captive screw 1I is operablecin the sleeve 1l and is rotatably supported in a lug .Ill attached to the truck Il as illustrated in Figures l2 and 15 of the drawings By manipulation of the captive screw 1l it is possible to vary the sngularity of the vpairs of` rollers carried by the respective plates 12 in the manner diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 18 of the drawings.` By this' means it is possible to control the amount of longitudinal movement which will be imparted to the coating apparatus during each revolution lof the pipe -within which or upon which the same is mounted.

By provision of my improved apparatus it is possible to emciently coat piping in the field, or at the location at which the pipes are to be laid. internally or externally, throughout the whole length of the pipe, as described in the David W. Boylan application herein referred to, and as illustrated in Figure 11 of the drawings, or only over small areas f the pipes as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings. h

It is ofcourse to be understood that the details ofstructure and arrangement of parts may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Iclaimi 1. In pipe coating apparatus, a mobile coating applicator receivable within the pipe including' a coating material carrying housing of a capacity for carrying enough coating material for coating a number of pipes and from .which coating material flows for coating interior portions thereof,

means by which the applicator can be moved'.

for carrying enough coating materialfor coating Y a number of pipes and from which coating material flows for coating interiorV portions thereof, andmeans for moving the applicator longitudinally in the pipe and for indicating externally the position of the applicator within the pipe. 3. In pipe coating apparatus, the combination of a truck for containing the coatingl material, an applicator supported by and fed with coating material from thel truck, wheels supporting the truck, and means by which thewheels may be adjusted tov ride upon either the internal or the external surface of the pipe to be coated. I

4. In pipe coating apparatus, the combination of a truck for containing` the coating material, an applicator4 supported by and fed with coating material from the truck, wheels supporting the truck, means to adjust the angularity of the wheelavand means to adjust the wheels to adapt brackets to said truck whereby the wheels can be [adjusted in position with the wheel axis and the porting the truck, each said unit comprising a Vterial, an applicator supported by and fed with painof mounting ears projecting from the truck, a

U-shaped bracket adjustably pivoted to'said ears.'

a wheel, and a stirrup rotatably supporting the wheel and adjustably pivoted to said bracket.

7. In a pipe coating apparatus, the combination of a truck for containing the coating material, an applicator supported by and fed with coating material from the truck, and '-.vheel units supporting the truck, each said unit comprising a pair of mounting ears projecting from the truck, a U-shaped bracket adjustably pivoted'to said ears, .a wheel, and a stirrup rotatablygsupporting the wheel and adjustably pivoted to said bracket, the axis of said bracket connection with the truck ears being disposed horizontally, and tne axis oi said connection between the bracket and stirrup being disposed transversely with respect vto the axis of the bracket connection.

`8. In a pipe coating apparatus, the combination of a truck for containing the coating material, an

applicator supported by and fed with coating material from the truck, and wheel units 81112113014?- ing the truck, each said unit .comprising a pair of mounting ears projecting fromthe truck, a

U-shaped bracket adjustably pivoted to said ears,

a wheel, and a stirrup rotatably supporting the wheel and adjustably pivoted to said bracket, the opposing surfaces of'said bracket and ears and of said bracket and stirrup being irregular to prevent slippage of the adjustment.

9. In apipe coating apparatus, the combination of a truck for containing the coating material, an applicator supported by and fed with coating material from the truck, and wheel units snpporting the truck, each said unit comprising a pair of mounting =ears projecting from the truck, a -Ushaped bracket adjustably pivoted to said ears, a wheel, and a stirrup rotatably supporting the wheel and connected to said bracket, and indicating means carried respectively by certain engaging ear and bracket portions for vindicating the angular relations of said portions.

1G. In a pipecoating apparatus, the combination of. a` truck for containing the coating diateiial, an applicator supported by and fed with coating material from the truck, a pair of supporting members disposed transversely in spaced relation beneath thel truck and pivotally connected thereto," supporting wheels carried by each said member, and means for simultaneously moving said members to, vary the angularity of said wheels. Y

1i. In a pipe coating apparatus, the comb-ination of a truck forcontaining the coating inacoatingmaterial from the truck, a pair of supporting members disposed transverselyv spaced relation beneath the truckv and pivotally connected thereto, supporting wheels carried by each said member, and means forl simultaneously moving said members while retaining their parai= lel relation to vary the angularity of said wheels.

12. In a pipe coating apparatus, the combina- A terial, an applicator supported by and fedwith f coating material from the truck, a pair of supporting members disposed transversely `in spacedv relation beneath the truck and pivotally connected thereto, supportingv wheels carried by each said member, alink pivotally connected at its ends to the transverse members to hold them in parallel relation, and means to move the link to vary the angularity of the wheels.

14. In a pipe coating apparatus, the combination of a cylindrical truck body for containing the .coating material, an applicator supported by and fed with coating material from the truck. a pair of arcuate supporting members concentrically spaced from and'pivotally supported in parallel spaced relation beneath the truck body, supporting wheels carried by each said member, and

means for simultaneously moving said members while retaining their parallel relation to vary the angularity of said wheels.

15. In a pipe coating apparatus for interlorly coating pipes, the combination of a truck for containing the coating material and movable along interior surfaces of pipes, an applicator supported by land'fed with coating material from the truck, anti-friction supporting means for rendering the apparatus mobile over pipe surfaces to be coated, an ironer supported by the apparatus for smoothing the coated surface and pressing out air bubbles therefrom, and means whereby the ironer can be applied vto or removed from the coated surface at will while the apparatus is y moving along in a pipe.

v16. In pipe coating apparatus. coating material applicatihg means mobile within the pipe, a coating-ironing device supported by said means,

and means operable from without the' pipe for presenting the ironer to or removing it from the coated surface at will.-

1'7. In pipe coating apparatus, a truck mobile within the pipe and containing coating material,l an applicator supported by and fed with coating material from the truck, valve controlled means for controlling the appllcaton of the coating material, means for controlling the valve from without the pipe, a. coating'` ironing device supported by -the apparatus, and means .operable from without thepipe forplesenting tineironer to or removing it from the coated surface at will;

F. MQAIN. 

